At a Moment's Notice
by ShonenManiac
Summary: Funny how fast things can change. He's not my father. He is. Who do I believe? Who can I trust? Why am I a monster? I don't understand. I haven't done anything wrong to you, why do you hate me? What does anything matter? I'm not good enough. You're worth it. A story told in the perspective of eight different children. Trust, the truth, everything is uncovered here.
1. Chapter 1

A yawn escaped my lips. As it always did. I always yawned a whole ton when I was half asleep. Now, normally, my brother, who was sleeping on the bunk over mine, would have been gone, watching T.V. with our dad in the living room, probably eating pancakes, or whatever he'd made today.

But today was different. Today was _very_ different. Today was the first day of school. My first day of middle school.

The thought hadn't even passed my mind, but as soon as I thought of it, I got up and stumbled across the room, tripping upon a couple of toy trucks on the floor. I assumed that my brother had been looking for some stupid lucky item today, and that it was some toy.

I slipped out of my pajama shirt and into my dress shirt, along with the blazer, the tie, then the slacks. After I had tugged on my socks, I took a moment to twirl around in front of the mirror, admiring the blazer.

I could hear my brother coming closer to our room. Before he could open the door and yell at me to wake up, I opened it and jumped out at him. He moved back, obviously startled.

"Akihiko! Doesn't this look good on me?" I gave him a small wink. He just flushed, which wasn't a very good reaction, probably in anger more than anything, and gave me a glare.

"You scared me. Well… Oha Asa did predict that I would have the worst luck with siblings-" I shut him up by running past him, down the hallway.

"Screw you and dad's Oha Asa bull!" That was right! I didn't believe in such crap. The future was all just decided by you, not some lady on the radio. Though I had to admit, her voice did sound very pretty.

My father and I, we were so different, especially compared to my brother. Akihiko and my father had green hair and light green eyes. They both had long eyelashes. I had brown eyes and bright blonde hair. They both believed in Oha Asa and horoscopes. I sure didn't. Hell, they both were Cancers as well! I was a Virgo. They were both disinterested in girls, which was weird, because girls were pretty.

Well, I sure regretted screaming that out for the whole world to hear, because one second, I was sprinting down the hall, and the next thing I knew, I had fallen straight on my behind after crashing into my dad's chest.

"Ichirou. Will you ever learn to stop running in the house?" He helped me up, handing me my schoolbag and bentou. Well, I sure wasn't going to eat that. My dad wasn't a good cook. I mean, he wasn't _that_ bad, but… Oh… who am I fooling? He can't even boil eggs. Another similarity between my dad and Akihiko. The two can't cook.

"Sorry…" He seemed sterner, tenser than usual. His shoulders were stiff, and there were bags under his eyes. Sure signs that he'd been taking the night shift, and he was tired. Very tired.

"Night shift?" Akihiko trotted up to me, looking up at Dad's face.

He nodded. "I have a more… severe patient today. If all goes well, I'll be home by 10."

I didn't like the sound of that. Whenever he mentioned 'severe' patients, it meant people that were a bit cracked. Mental problems, depression, suicide attempts, attempted homicide, it was all things that he had to deal with. He could see my lip trembling, I knew it, as he bent down to run a hand through my hair, the way he always did whenever he needed to calm me down.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." I hated being a baby like this. I was in middle school for gods' sake, I shouldn't be so sensitive. But it still worried me.

Akihiko looked at his watch.

"Ichirou, we best be going to school. Don't worry, I'll take you to your first period teacher. I think you have the same one as I did last year." He squeezed my shoulders, a gesture that I appreciated.

"Alright." I slung my bag over my shoulder. My dad stood up and retreated to the kitchen as Akihiko and I simply walked side to side, out the door, and onto the sidewalk.

There was silence, at least, until Akihiko finally talked.

"Father's been busy lately." I knew that. I also knew that the conversation wasn't over with yet. Akihiko never just said one thing. He'd been planning out the conversation long before he'd started it.

I replied with a small 'mhm', but I don't think he heard it. He simply looked through his bag before handing me something.

It was a stuffed frog. Not an actual frog, of course, but a stuffed animal.

I looked at him, half-confused and half-amused.

"What is this?"

"Fool. It's a stuffed frog. The lucky item for Virgos today." Was that what he had been looking for earlier?

"You left a mess on the floor, by the way. I almost killed myself side-stepping it."

"You be thankful that I've given you this, or you can shove it."

The walk to school was passed with silence. I rummaged through my bag, finding a small apple and biting into it. Akihiko was texting away on his phone.

As soon as I finished my apple, I looked up from it, only to see that the scenery had changed dramatically. Instead of the houses that I had seen, there was a huge school. I saw the school sometimes as I walked back home, but that was only from afar. Being on the school grounds was much more different.

Akihiko went ahead of me. "I have to go advertise my club. Just… try to stay out of peoples' way. Don't get into trouble. I'll see you later." He ruffled my hair, before pivoting and walking towards the school.

I scowled. He obviously just didn't want me to get in his way. Well fine, he could be that way! I decided to sit down on one of the benches, arms on either side of me, helping me sit up properly and let me lean back to see the leaves of the tree that was shading me.

The rest of the morning went on, at least, until the bell rang. Luckily, I had gotten to class a little earlier and taken the best seat.

At the back of the class.

There was another boy next to me. I didn't know his name, but he had intriguing blue eyes. They interested me.

He seemed to be one of those diligent students, and so I had no idea as to why he'd been sitting so far away from the teacher.

But I had really gotten to know him after school, when I had bumped into him at the indoor gym. He'd been practicing shooting, but he couldn't even get the ball to hit the backboard. A snicker escaped my lips.

"What're you doing?" He looked at me.

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"Trying to shoot."

"Well, bingo. There you go." He tried shooting again. This time, it hit the backboard with a loud sound and knocked him straight in the head.

I couldn't resist laughing. I clenched my fists and bit my lip, but in the end, the urge was too much, and I fell to the floor, giggles escaping my mouth. When I had calmed down a bit, I could see the blue-eyed, blue-haired boy frowning.

"S-sorry… that was a bit too much. But… uh… try getting the arc. Snap your wrists. You're just throwing the ball." He scowled.

I could tell he was angry. Who wouldn't be? But he followed what I had said, and almost made it in.

"Better. Don't throw with too much force. Or it'll shoot straight back at you. Like it just did."

Suddenly, I had received a phone call.

"Akihiko?"

"Hurry up and come home! I'm already here!"

Groaning, I moved the phone from my ear. Akihiko had nearly deafened me.

"Okay, okay. Why're you in such a hurry?"

"Actually, never mind. _Don't_ come home! I bet you're fooling around in the gym, right? Stay there."

"Akihiko, I'm going home, alright?"

"What? No-" I had hung up before he'd been able to finish his sentence.

The guy in front of me looked tense. He knows that there's something up.

"Sorry! Uh… come back here tomorrow, alright? I'll help you a bit more then. For now-" I picked up my bag and began to leave.

"-I'm going home. See you tomorrow!"


	2. Chapter 2

I know this man. This man is what Ichirou will look like when he's older. And I hate that.

That's not the only way I know this man either. I know who he was as soon as I walked in. I wasn't expecting a visit so soon. It only seems like yesterday since I had first met my brother.

The man seems a bit weary when he sees me. It's because I'm not Ichirou Midorima, I'm Akihiko Midorima, and I _am_ the older brother, even if it is by just one year. And I'm planning to do my duty as the older brother, and protect Ichirou from any harm that might come his way.

Even if it means stopping him from seeing his real father.

However, Father stops me from reaching in and taking my phone out by placing a hand on my shoulder. I was only going to text Ichirou to come home quickly. I don't know when he got here, he should be at the hospital. Helping patients.

Suddenly, I understand. Everything clicks in place for me, and I stop.

He _was_ helping a patient. Before, I had always liked helping my father please the people he worked with. Whether it was helping them with some pets or with gardening, reading to their children, buying groceries, I always tagged along. It was just a part of my life. But this? This was something I didn't want to do.

The few steps towards the man feels like a million.

"Have you come to take back Ichirou?"

The man nods.

"Well, I'm afraid you can't do that."

He seems a bit surprised.

"And? Why can't I take back my own son? He's of _my_ blood, not Midorima's."

This man is a lot colder than I last remember him. He has a dangerous look in his eye, a warning look, reminding me that he _is_ the adult, and _I_ am the child.

"Because." I feel myself trembling.

"Because?"

"He's _my_ brother. What have _you_ done for him? Nothing! My father and I, we're the ones that have fed him, seen most of his childhood, seen him mature, and everything else. I'm the one that taught him how to ride a bike. How to skateboard. Even how to play basketball. How to play video games. We share a room. Have you seen him grow up? Have you seen him win basketball games? You've done nothing for him!" The other man laughs.

"I _would_ have had the chance to see that. I _wish_ I had the chance to see that." He sounds sorrowful. As if he truly means it. He _does_ mean it.

I can't stop this man at all. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much blood, sweat, or tears I shed.

So I run up to my room. The huge frown on my face cannot express _how_ unhappy I am. They're going to take away my brother. To where? Why? How? I do not know.

I take out my phone and begin to call Ichirou.

"Akihiko?" I hear his voice.

"Hurry up and come home! I'm already here!"

"Okay, okay. Why're you in such a hurry?" Now I realize my mistake. If Ichirou comes home now, he'll see the man. He'll see the wretched state I'm in. Ichirou's sensitive. He knows a problem when he sees it.

"Actually, never mind. _Don't_ come home! I bet you're fooling around in the gym, right? Stay there."

"Akihiko, I'm going home, alright?"

"What? No! Ichirou-" I'm cut off by the beeping of my phone. He hung up on me. It'll be only five minutes before he comes home.

I quickly run down the stairs, only to see that Father _and_ the man are nowhere to be seen.

Wherever they are, I don't want to see them.


	3. Chapter 3

I can tell that something is wrong. Akhiko's voice was trembling. He sounded as if he was about to cry.

I turn the familiar corner. This was where I had found a dog, and Akihiko and I had doctored it up and begged to keep it, but never had.

We had given the dog to Akihiko's friend.

A smile is on my face from the memories. I remember those times as well as he does, maybe even more. Akihiko doesn't seem to care about those times anymore. All he does is focus on studying to get into Shutoku High School.

Again, another school I don't particularly care about. I'm not a good student, so it's not like I can even get into it. I know that Akihiko can though. He's always been studious and serious. It's a personality trait that I never inherited.

Thinking of all of this makes me sad. I've grown up always hearing that Akihiko was just like Dad. And he is. There's no denying it. They're both practically the same person. Always studying, quiet, making sure that they don't trip over their own two feet while helping others. They're both stuffy. In a way, I wish I could be like them. Just so I could have some sort of reminder that no matter how much different I am from them, we're still family.

When I open the door, it's a whole other site that doesn't seem like our normally tidy house. A chair is toppled over, in front of the door. I have to step carefully over it. There's a broken window, and as I peer outside of it, I realize that whoever messed up the house this badly had thrown the clock that had once been on the shelf outside. I step over the shattered glass, and walk into the kitchen. It's a mess. The fridge door is open, and swinging, and when the door swings towards me, I can see that someone ripped off all the photos on it, and they're all scattered on the floor.

Akihiko's basketball trophy, the one that he won in fifth grade, it's on the ground. The basketball and parts of the arm, all the way up to the elbow, are on the floor. I see my brother on the ground, trying to fix it. The man had once been doing a lay up, now his arms are all disconnected, and he only has one leg and part of an arm attached to his torso. I can see that my brother is sobbing.

"Akihiko? What happened?" I approach him. His glasses are clattered on the floor. I quickly pick them up. The left lens is broken, shattered into a million pieces.

"I told you not to come home!" I'm stunned. He's never yelled at anyone before, especially not me. Suddenly, a fit of coughs and sniffles, along with hiccups escape him.

"Akihiko? Who did this? Was it a robber? Where's Dad?" I hear screaming. Akihiko begins to cry louder.

I focus on helping him towards the sofa.

"After you've calmed down, let's try to fix things. What happened to the trophy? Your glasses? Put on your contacts soon." I'm not used to being the rational one. That role is always filled by Akihiko, whether I like it or not.

"I-Ichirou…" He's trying to tell me something, but I'm not sure what.

"What?" He points towards Dad's bedroom. Now that my attention is focused towards that, I can hear crashing sounds, along with screaming, yelling, and crying. It's obviously not any robber, why would a burglar start crying? The thought makes me chuckle a bit, but I don't say anything.

"T-there's a man in there."

"I can see _and_ hear that. Is he the one that did this?" Akihiko stiffens, but nods.

"Well, cheer up. Your trophy can be fixed, and so can your glasses."

"It's not about the trophy!" His eyes are puffy and red. I've never seen my brother in such a state before.

I don't pry anymore, and instead opt to sit down with him. Obviously, whatever happened is none of my business. Oh, who am I kidding. It concerns me more than anyone else. Akihiko is _my_ brother, and obviously, Dad is going to get hurt if nothing happens.

I hear more screaming, then thumping footsteps. I arm myself with the closest thing next to me: Dad's favorite medical book. It's thick, and rather heavy, but I can wield it with one arm just fine.

Dad appears from the staircase first. His back is facing me, his arms splayed out, trying to stop someone else who appears moments after. A hard shove from the other man makes Dad fall onto the floor.

I don't know who the other man is, nor what he's doing, but he sure isn't welcome. In an instant, I chuck the book at him.


	4. Chapter 4

The instant that Ichirou threw that book, I shut my eyes desperately. I didn't want to see the scene that would unfold in front of me.

I hear a loud sound, followed by a groan and when I open my eyes, I see Ichirou's bright red face. The tips of his ears are pink, and I swear I can see steam coming out of them.

Father winces, but says nothing as he picks up his book and retreats to the couch. I can see that he has a cut on his cheek, and blood is trickling down it. I make a mental note to remind him to clean the cut later. I can tell through his mask, however, that he is pleased with the suffering of the other man.

Ichirou bends over to whisper in my ear, and I listen attentively. "I think I hit his crotch… do I apologize?"

A snicker threatens to come out, but I say nothing and just nod. No matter how much suffering I may be in, that man's agony is probably ten times worse.

Much to my surprise, he shakes his head. Ichirou isn't playing around anymore. He's serious.

"Mister. I don't know who you are, but you'd better leave. Should I-" Suddenly, the man gets up and nearly tackles my brother into the sofa.

"You've grown so much!" Is he squealing? _Squealing?_ Ichirou seems every bit as confused as I am, but Father, much to the man's dismay and Ichirou's relief, pries the man away from my brother's waist.

"I'll explain later Ichirou. As for you, Kise, your visit is _over_. You've destroyed my house, the windows, even Akihiko's trophy. What-" Before anyone can react, I drop the remains of my trophy and wrap my arms around Ichirou's shoulders.

His fists are clenched, and he's gritting his teeth. Oh, he's not angry. Ichirou is absolutely _livid._ He knows what that trophy meant to me.

"Let go Akihiko!" he screams, trying to struggle against my vice-like grip. He's shouting curses and flailing his arms and legs out, trying so hard to get to that blonde man only a few steps away from him. The man seems surprised.

He opens his mouth to say something, then stops.

"He's the one who did that to your trophy? Let go! I know what it meant to you! Akihiko-" He moves his mouth closer to my arm. In a flash, I let go, and that's when I realize my mistake.

He's completely lost control of reality. In this moment, Ichirou seems more like a wild beast than a twelve year old boy. As soon as he is about to charge at the man, who is absolutely _frightened_ , he sinks to the floor and starts bawling.

Everyone is positively surprised. I'm sure of that. As Ichirou puts his head to his knees and begins pounding against the hardwood floor, I see Father, out of the corner of my eye, move to stroke his back. It doesn't seem to work, because as Father puts Ichirou's head on his shoulder and tugs him in closer, I can hear a few muffled screams from my brother.

A quick glance at the man shows how surprised he is. In fact, he looks like he could burst into tears at any moment himself, watching the scene.

I move closer to Ichirou. So does the man. But as soon as I think that my brother has calmed down a bit, he begins to scream.

"Why did you have to come here? Why do you have to exist! We can live without you. Go away, and never come back!" I'm shocked. My brother, my innocent, kind brother, is spewing these… horrible things from his mouth.

The man seems just as surprised as I am.

"But Ichirou-" He begins gently. "-you wouldn't be here without me."

 **Oh my lord. This was written just now, haha. In maybe… uh… thirty minutes? Haha, excuse the crappy writing. But, uh, yeah. Thanks for reading :)**


	5. ANNOUNCEMENT

I'm sorry for this, but I'm stopping this series.

I really, really liked this, but I have no choice.

It's not up to my normal standards, mostly because I felt as if I rushed the plot a bit.

It's not really the end though! I'm probably going to reuse the characters that I used for this one, but I'm definitely revising Ichirou. Maybe I'll switch the names and families up a bit, but the basic premise will be the same.

So yeah. What I'm going to do is restart this over and make it another story. So yeah. Look out for that.

Follow me though. The rewritten version will be out soon(I've been working on it for the past two days.) See ye' all later ;3


	6. SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT

Okay. So as promised, I've posted the rewrite of this thing up. Yay! I mean, I feel like it took me way longer than it should have, but I tried really hard to show and not tell. But I'm a writer who uses a heck ton of dialogue, and so that form of writing with long paragraphs of just pure description isn't cut out for me. And so I was torn between two options, and that's, in a way, why the rewrite is so strange. I'm going to say that I'm awful proud of the rewrite, I mean, I feel as if I didn't exactly stick to the original like I was hoping I could do, but in a way, that's alright.

So the main point of writing all this was to direct ye' all to the rewrite. I'm not going to paste the link here(I'm too lazy), but if you check out my stories, it's right there. So yeah. Gogogo, read the rewrite! And thank you all for staying with me to the end here. Haha.


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